Misery has spread to the domestic game, with the 2-1 loss to Aberdeen smashing their unbeaten Premiership record.

Celtic could fall five points behind if the Dons beat Hamilton tomorrow night but Mackay-Steven reckons there is no need for panic. He said: “It’s not a crisis in our eyes to be honest. It’s early on in the season.

“We didn’t play as well as we could against Aberdeen. We know they are a good team and they punished us.

“A lot of people will be thinking, ‘Aberdeen will be riding high now’.

“So it’s definitely a chance to showcase that we belong at that level and we need to prove it.”

Mackay-Steven revealed the squad were annoyed at Pittodrie referee Craig Thomson’s decision to merely book Aberdeen’s Andrew Considine for the foul that gave Celtic a penalty.

Leigh Griffiths scored the spot-kick but blasted the whistler and the SFA are set to assess comments from the striker that suggested Thomson would have red-carded a Celtic player for an identical offence, reports the Daily Record.

Griffiths said: “I was very surprised it was only a yellow.

“I was going to score, there was no doubt about.

“I was only three or four yards from goal so he has got to be sent off.

“If it was up the other end of the park I’d put my mortgage on it that Craig would send one of our players off.”

Asked what made him say that Griffiths added: “It’s what happens.

“If it’s up the other end the Aberdeen players would have surrounded him and you can guarantee he sends him off. That’s 100 per cent.”

Compliance Officer Tony McGlennan may also look at an incident involving Celtic’s Mikael Lustig who appeared to be kicked by Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean as he lay on the ground.

Mackay-Steven said: “Yeah, I think Mikael himself felt there was contact.”